2002 Escape XLT 4x4.

This is my mother in laws vehicle. this problem has happend twice, once here by her house and another time about 60 miles away. affter she fills the tank with fuel, yes when the pump clicks off she doesnt force anymore in it, it wont start. running fine, no codes, no lights, no warning. let it sit about 10-15 minutes and it fires right and runs perfect. no probs in between fill ups or anything. has roughly 80k on it. is this a vapor lock or something?

thanks

trey

 

This may not be your problem, but may give you something to look at. Years ago I had a Pontiac Trans Am, when I had been driving for awhile and stopped somewhere, it wouldn't start sometimes for 15-20 minutes. Absolutely nothing when you turned the key. Then poof, would start up like nothing was ever wrong. Turned out the problem was a spring in between the starter and solenoid that when hot would not let the solenoid engage the starter. It may just be a coincidence that it's happened during a fill-up, that's throwing you off. Anyway may not be your problem at all, but may be a place to start. I would also make sure the connections at the battery and the starter are all good and clean.

Hope this helps!

Scott

 

It will cank but not hit. I checked the fuel reset but it wasn't tripped.ait 15 min and runs like new.

 

I bet it won't start even if you don't do a fill up. What I think is happening is that a relay winding [fuel pump?] is opening up or has increased resistance when it gets hot, such as after driving for a while. To test this, drive it for a while, just the same as when it has acted up, and, instead of fueling the vehicle, shut it off for about as long as it takes to pump in the gas. Then try to start it. I'd bet you have the same startup problem.
If you do, you should check for the sound of the fuel pump in the tank when the key is first turned to "on", as I think they still prime the system before startup by running the pump for 3-5 seconds. If you hear that, check for spark, and then check for injector pulses. It is possible to lose one of the crank or cam sensors and still have the vehicle limp home, I think, but it would have to start. I know of one Ford system that 'guesses' which cylinder it is on when it loses the ID signal. I think they throw codes when that happens. If you have no code, then it is a 'dumb' device that is causing the failure, one that is not 'out of bounds in its readings', nor shorted or opened, and has no sensor feedback to the ECM to indicate failure. A fuel pump relay is that sort of thing. It works, or it doesn't [mostly]. I had an Escort with a bad winding internal to the distributor that would start and run fine, but when leaving the grocery store, was at just the right temp to make the pickup coil open up. The part was ~$20, but the distributor had to be taken apart completely to install it. Ugh.
tom

 

nope only does it on fill up. we drive this vehicle daily. the last time it was 1/2 tank when it was topped off. never hesitates to start on a reg drive, just after refueling.

thanks for the input.

 

Probably time for a new fuel pump.


Damn! My 81 Escort did the same thing..... You're right, the pickup coil was a project to replace.

 

Did you ever get this resolved. My '96 ranger is doing the same thing.

 

Your ranger is prolly a fuel pump relay undrr hood. Very common. Or is ur descip like mine only after fill ups. We never did find the prob. We put a fuel pump in it and traded. Lol.

 

It's gotta be the fuel pump.

 

I do not think it is the fuel pump, because when the truck does run and I either take the fuel pump relay or fuse out and try to start it still starts/runs for a few seconds on the remaining fuel in the system. After I filled it up and it wouldn't start it wasn't firing at all.

Is there anything in the evap system that would prevent you from starting an engine? Is my coil going out? Help!